Part II. travels into the \Le v a nr. 
Hi 
CHAP. XVI 
Thù Continuation of the Ohfervations of Ifpahan. 
Of fome conjtderable Fruits and Tlants^ 
AT Ifpahan they have almoft all the kinds of Fruit that are in France^ but fairer Fruits at jfpi^ 
and better i and which keep better there, by reafon of the drynefs of the 
Country-Air, which makes Fruit keep a whole Year. The Melons are far better 
there than with us, as likewife the Peaches which are very big, and the Grapes that 
are of Nine or Ten forts. Their Wines are White, and made of Grapes which Wines of Jp 
they call Kifmifcb i moft men believe that that kind of Grape hath no Stones, becaufe 
they are fo fmall, as not to be difcerned in Eating \ but they are eafily enough to be 
feen in the Fat when the Wine worketh. They make Wine alfo of other forts of 
Grapes, which is neither fo good, nor keeps fo well. They have fome Red Wine, 
but little, and to make it, they only put fome Black Grapes into White Wine, to 
give it a colour : if it were made of Black Grapes it would not keep : we muft 
except the Wine of Schiras^ which is Red, very good,and Stomachical : but it is only Schiras Wlncj 
brought in Bottles, and one muft have Friends for that too i if neverthelefs an Ar- 
menian hath got any of it, he fells it at eight Abajjti^ and at the leaft at fix. They 
keep the Wine commonly in very great Earthen- Jars, for the draught would make 
all Casks leakey, and thefe Jars hold above a third part of a Tun. No ufe made 
Though the Perfiani, as I have now faid, have all the kinds of Fruit that we °^ 
have, yet they have not the feveral forts of them. They have for example feveral 
forts of very good Grapes, but they have not the Mufcadine Grape. They leave The Ptrftuns 
the Grapes on the Vines fomctimes till Chri^mas^ putting each bunch into a Bag, have no Mufr 
to keep them from the Birds, and only gather them, as they have occafion to Eat "^'««Grapcji 
them. They have alfo good Apricots,fmall lharp Cherries, Apples, and many forts the^'vine '^°Ul 
of Pears : but they have no Straw-berries. They Eat Melons almoft all the year cktftmafs. 
round, not only becaufe they take much pains in Cultivating of them, but alfo by No Straw- 
reafon of the Nature of the Air, that I have fpoke of, which neverthelefs excufcs berries in Ptr" 
not thofe who would preferve their Melons well, from having always a Candle ^'** 
burning in the Room where they lay them, whether it be to keep them from the 
damp, or from being Frozen. In this manner they Cultivate them i in the firft 
place they make ufe of a great deal of Pigeons Dung, keeping Pigeons only for that The ralfing of 
purpofe, which they put into the Ground where they Sow the Melons, and that 
Dung is fold by weight. When the Melons are above Ground, and begin to be 
fhaped into a Stalk that will carry, fometimes twenty, they take off three or four, 
and leave thofe which thrive beft : ten or twelve days after, they again take off 
thofe that thrive worft,whichralthough they are fo little,) fell very well about Town » 
for there are thofe who Eat them s and in this manner they always eafe the Stem, 
leaving only thofe which thrive beft, till, at length, there remain no more but one : 
It is to be obferved that every time they open a little with their Nails the Earth that 
is about the Root, they fill it up with Pigeons Dung, to give it new nourifliment» 
then they put water to it by means of fome little Channels that have many turnings, 
which water the Roots without weting the Fruit. They ufe all thefe ways with 
them three or four times, for having watered them, they let them alone eight or ten 
days without giving them any more water ■, at length, when the remaining Melon ^ 
begins to grow big, they put the end of it to their mouth, and having wet it a 
little with their Spittle, cover it with a parcel of Earth, and they fay that this Ce- 
remony prcfcrves them from the bitings of fome Flies, that elle would fpoil them. 
In Perfja they Eat Melons till the month of Aprils nay fome alfo in May-, which is 
about the time they begin to Eat new ones; at Icaft in July they begin to have them 
Ripe, but they are fmall round Melons, moft of them white within, foft like 
Cotton, and of no relilh i thofe that are good, are not ht to be Eaten before Aa- 
guft ; they are of another kind, and moft part long : I have deferibed them before. 
Q. 2 Amongft 
